COMMENTARY: 'Is it any wonder that Indiana teachers are leaving?'

Rocky Killion is superintendent at West Lafayette Community School Corp.

Last week one of my administrators
attended an education job fair to look for outstanding teacher
candidates. Throughout the entire day, only four potential candidates
visited with my administrator.

Most
troubling was the sight of many school district administrators from
other states. One of those administrators told my administrator that
his school district has found that persuading Indiana teachers to move
to his state is very easy. His state pays more, offers better
benefits and has fewer state-mandated restrictions on the work of
teachers. Is it any wonder that Indiana teachers are leaving the
profession or this state in droves?

If you don’t
believe me, just speak to the many teachers I have spoken to who have
decided to leave the profession due to stagnant wages, more state
mandates and the perceived disrespect emanating from Indianapolis.

If
we want to keep our best teachers from leaving Indiana, and if we want
to lure the best candidates into the teaching profession, parents and
community supporters are going to have step up to support their teachers
and public school systems. Also, if legislators are smart, they should
be deeply concerned about the grass-roots support of teachers that is
happening across the county. I have hope that this is going to happen
in Indiana.